Brett Favre Heartwrenching Retirement Speech Brings Tears

Legendary quarterback Brett Favre announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers after seventeen seasons. It was a heartfelt moment, as Favre tried several time to regain his composure before giving over to tears. Watch his graceful exit:

Comments

[ErnestineBass]

03:49 AM on 03/09/2008

Yeah, I know...this sports icon's "tearful farewell" took up four minutes of a PBS newscast that would have been better devoted to coverage of the debacle in Afghanistan or Iraq.

But, hey, who cares about a few more "dead" grunts?

An overpaid superstar athelete just "retired"!

Our priorities are soooooo fucked.

[tonewheel]

11:05 AM on 03/08/2008

Now the Packers can go back to being the one dimensional team that they are. Lambeau next season is going to be a pretty dreadful place. No decent football team in Green Bay during the winter? No sweat! There's, uh, well, we can always, uh, hmm, we can go to, hmm, well, we can check out the, no, wait.....

The end zone jumps are going to be replaced by fans jumping from the stands.

[lisakaz]

08:51 PM on 03/07/2008

Brett, if it's this hard, maybe you should play another year? Just a thought.

Luv ya dude. And I'm not a Packers fan.

[wmbear]

08:23 PM on 03/07/2008

WELL, THAT'S ICES IT...

Brett is definitely unfit for the office of President of the United States (not that anyone suggested him for it). But all seriousness aside, just for a minute, let's compare Brett's public blubbering with Hillary's tearing up a couple of months ago. He gets to and she doesn't? What is this all about? Boys don't cry!

[Virago55]

06:23 PM on 03/07/2008

I wish I could have retired at 38 and rich. Good luck dude.

[timothe]

05:23 PM on 03/07/2008

I'm going to change the subject here. This story was about Brett Favre retiring. There is nothing in this story or in Brett Favre's career that is controversial or that negatively affects people's lives in any way.

Yet 10 out of the 59 comments posted here were nothing more than sarcastic, hateful, mean-spirited comments. Why?

The other day, Bill O'Reilly went after HuffPost because of the nasty comments. He blamed Arianna Huffington herself for the lack of moderation. (Oddly enough, Bill's segment was never posted as news here. I wonder why.)

My point is...if the collective community of this site continues to encourage the nastiness of some of its members, it will lose the more reasonable members. Not only that, but HuffPost will lose its influence as a landing place for political discourse. The GOP, (of which I am a member), will use the hatred of sites like this to convince fair-minded people to leave the lunacy that is the far hateful left.

Think about that before you post more garbage.

[GalaxieGal]

06:34 PM on 03/07/2008

Being tired of grown, rich, sportmen crying knows no party line.

[icandump]

08:27 PM on 03/07/2008

There is only one reason there are so many childish, abusive, mean-spirited comments appearing here: too many RIGHT-WING FASCIST-types logging in to spread their testosterone-driven pablum! The GOP is the equivalent of the Tin Man, except that THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE A HEART! (It's not MANLY!) I feel sorry for your wives and children!

[JJinWI]

05:05 PM on 03/07/2008

Brent and Deanna gave so much to our community.
They will be truly missed for their non-sports related
efforts.

His emotions weren't about football, they were about
the family and friends in Green Bay.

A lot of sports fans from other teams will be glad to
see him retire, which is obvious by some of the comments
on this page. But they have no idea how wonderful the
Favre's have been to our community.

It's a real shame that people are so insensitive to
others who have given so much of themselves to
people who are less fortunate.

Thanks, Brent and Deanna!

Come back to the Tundra often....
You'll always have friends waiting for you!

[MTmind]

04:02 PM on 03/07/2008

To me, Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers represent countless gatherings on weekends and holidays with family and friends. These compose some of the best memories I have from the past two decades. I was heartbroken when I first heard the news that he had thrown his last pass in the National Football League. I thought, this isn't fair... every sign seemed to point towards him playing for, at least, one more year. But as I thought about it further, I tried to image how this past season would have been any different from any other season had I known it was going to be his last. It wouldn't have changed the way I watched any of the games. The season wouldn't have been any more exciting than it already was. I also considered how tiring it would have been to listen to the game commentators gush (even more so than they already were) about Brett during each and every game had they known it was his last season. In 1996, during my lifetime, the Packers made it to the Super Bowl and won. As a fan, what more could you ask for? The story of Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers is over. Like finishing a great book, turning the last page is sad but I feel grateful for the experience and look forward to the start of the new one. Brett finished his career with an intercepted pass, only one step away from the Super Bowl. He left me wanting more, much like he did at the end of every season. What a perfect way to start a new chapter for him, and for Packer fans. Thanks for the memories Brett!

[AmericanNation]

06:13 PM on 03/07/2008

Dear "MTmind",
Thank you very much for putting into words what many of us who have played organized football but never made it to the NFL have always found so endearing about Brett Favre. He surpassed the ordinary, and by that I do not meant statistically, which clearly he did and that will get him into the Hall of Fame. But, from a human standpoint, when players got injured, he stood up to management to make certain they were given the best care and allowed the opportunity to come back, and those that were unable to can testify to Brett making certain that they were able to find suitable employment off the field. And, in Green Bay, as well as, around the nation, he is legendary for his quiet way of giving away millions of dollars from Hurricane Katrina, 9-11, to a variety of other charities. And, unlike other celebrities, he did not want credit, infact he shunned the limelight off the field, and as opposed to some of the comments on this site, Brett Favre worked 12 months a year, most football careers last 3-4 years, he was at the top of his game for 17 years, that does not happen by accident - he is a dedicated athlete and team leader. Finally, the one thing I will always remember about Brett is that he stood by his wife through her cancer and recovery, he stood by Green Bay through the lean years, and he stood by his friends and neighbours even when the media called him old and washed up - a class act all around - someone every youngster playing ball can look up to - and he was not the only one shedding tears at that news conference: reporters, linemen, and fans and foes alike all over America were saying good-bye to a true warrior.

[jubo]

03:50 PM on 03/07/2008

Brett Favre is young and healthy. He has children, he is rich. He is crying?

[jaygilb]

02:59 PM on 03/07/2008

I'm suprised that Vince Lombardy didn't rise from the dead, walk into the press conference and punch Favre. He would have told him to grow a pair and quit being such a pussy.

My god the man spent that last two decades standing the middle of a field, throwing a inflated ball while dressed in a uniform. It not like he did anything important like cure a disease.

[GalaxieGal]

05:09 PM on 03/07/2008

I thought keeping control of your emotions was a big part of being a successful QB. No control, time to go.

[GalaxieGal]

02:57 PM on 03/07/2008

Anybody else miss the good ole days when men, particularly manly sportsmen, didn't bawl in public?

[dora rice]

03:46 PM on 03/07/2008

yeah, but then they never got paid what they get paid today. He was sobbing for the loss of his millions.
Also these stars can't be without the public whorshipping them. They feel lost, when his wife says, take out the garbage can Mr. Nobody.

[timothe]

05:08 PM on 03/07/2008

mean spirited comment #1

[williamscody]

05:56 PM on 03/07/2008

He took the Packers to the NFC championship. Nobody was forcing him to go.

[butchie65]

02:48 PM on 03/07/2008

Do any of you idiots understand he was here for 17 years. You tell me how many teams have had a quarterbcak for that many years. They are all has beens, since he played here. You talk like a bunch of 2 year old that should be in school or are drop outs. Get a life and when you can become as great as he is, maybe we will cheer for you. Doubtful, not the way you all act! ! Love you Brett, your the greatest !

[MoeSart]

11:07 AM on 03/07/2008

He gave the media what they love the most. A crying jag press conference.

The media loves him now more than ever.

He's good people, though.

[kdaddy]

11:06 AM on 03/07/2008

I don't get the cheap-shot vitriol aimed at Favres retirement speech emotion except as something born
out of self hatred or a demented attempt at being controversial.

[Tbobb]

01:52 PM on 03/07/2008

yup. i don't get it either kdaddy. folks are so cynical and snide. something favre never was.

[aphid]

09:27 PM on 03/07/2008

I'm perplexed a well. He loves the game, he's conflicted about leaving. I've never seen him cry before. Why all the nastiness?

timothe, this site is frequented by right-wingers, too, and from my rare visits to conservative web sites, nasty comments about politics are de riqeur there as well.

[RickO]

11:02 AM on 03/07/2008

Brett, you're a kingpin! Enjoy your retirement.